按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
oppose his hatred fully。 Welcome home。
Enter SICINIUS and BRUTUS
Behold； these are the tribunes of the people； The tongues o' th'
common mouth。 I do despise them； For they do prank them in authority；
Against all noble sufferance。 SICINIUS。 Pass no further。 CORIOLANUS。
Ha！ What is that？ BRUTUS。 It will be dangerous to go on… no further。
CORIOLANUS。 What makes this change？ MENENIUS。 The matter？
COMINIUS。 Hath he not pass'd the noble and the common？ BRUTUS。
Cominius； no。 CORIOLANUS。 Have I had children's voices？ FIRST
SENATOR。 Tribunes； give way： he shall to th' market…place。 BRUTUS。
The people are incens'd against him。 SICINIUS。 Stop； Or all will fall in
broil。 CORIOLANUS。 Are these your herd？ Must these have voices； that
can yield them now And straight disclaim their tongues？ What are your
offices？ You being their mouths； why rule you not their teeth？ Have you
not set them on？ MENENIUS。 Be calm； be calm。 CORIOLANUS。 It is a
purpos'd thing； and grows by plot； To curb the will of the nobility； Suffer't；
44
… Page 45…
CORIOLANUS
and live with such as cannot rule Nor ever will be rul'd。 BRUTUS。 Call't
not a plot。 The people cry you mock'd them； and of late； When corn was
given them gratis； you repin'd； Scandal'd the suppliants for the people；
call'd them Time…pleasers； flatterers； foes to nobleness。 CORIOLANUS。
Why； this was known before。 BRUTUS。 Not to them all。 CORIOLANUS。
Have you inform'd them sithence？ BRUTUS。 How？ I inform them！
COMINIUS。 You are like to do such business。 BRUTUS。 Not unlike Each
way to better yours。 CORIOLANUS。 Why then should I be consul？ By
yond clouds； Let me deserve so ill as you； and make me Your fellow
tribune。 SICINIUS。 You show too much of that For which the people stir；
if you will pass To where you are bound； you must enquire your way；
Which you are out of； with a gentler spirit； Or never be so noble as a
consul； Nor yoke with him for tribune。 MENENIUS。 Let's be calm。
COMINIUS。 The people are abus'd； set on。 This palt'ring Becomes not
Rome； nor has Coriolanus Deserved this so dishonour'd rub； laid falsely I'
th' plain way of his merit。 CORIOLANUS。 Tell me of corn！ This was my
speech； and I will speak't again… MENENIUS。 Not now； not now。 FIRST
SENATOR。 Not in this heat； sir； now。 CORIOLANUS。 Now； as I live； I
will。 My nobler friends； I crave their pardons。 For the mutable； rank…
scented many； let them Regard me as I do not flatter； and Therein behold
themselves。 I say again； In soothing them we nourish 'gainst our Senate
The cockle of rebellion； insolence； sedition； Which we ourselves have
plough'd for； sow'd； and scatter'd； By mingling them with us； the honour'd
number； Who lack not virtue； no； nor power； but that Which they have
given to beggars。 MENENIUS。 Well； no more。 FIRST SENATOR。 No
more words； we beseech you。 CORIOLANUS。 How？ no more！ As for my
country I have shed my blood； Not fearing outward force； so shall my
lungs Coin words till their decay against those measles Which we disdain
should tetter us； yet sought The very way to catch them。 BRUTUS。 You
speak o' th' people As if you were a god； to punish； not A man of their
infirmity。 SICINIUS。 'Twere well We let the people know't。 MENENIUS。
What； what？ his choler？ CORIOLANUS。 Choler！ Were I as patient as the
midnight sleep； By Jove； 'twould be my mind！ SICINIUS。 It is a mind
That shall remain a poison where it is； Not poison any further。
45
… Page 46…
CORIOLANUS
CORIOLANUS。 Shall remain！ Hear you this Triton of the minnows？
Mark you His absolute 'shall'？ COMINIUS。 'Twas from the canon。
CORIOLANUS。 'Shall'！ O good but most unwise patricians！ Why； You
grave but reckless senators； have you thus Given Hydra leave to choose an
officer That with his peremptory 'shall；' being but The horn and noise o' th'
monster's； wants not spirit To say he'll turn your current in a ditch； And
make your channel his？ If he have power； Then vail your ignorance； if
none； awake Your dangerous lenity。 If you are learn'd； Be not as common
fools； if you are not； Let them have cushions by you。 You are plebeians； If
they be senators； and they are no less； When； both your voices blended；
the great'st taste Most palates theirs。 They choose their magistrate； And
such a one as he； who puts his 'shall；' His popular 'shall；' against a graver
bench Than ever frown'd in Greece。 By Jove himself； It makes the consuls
base； and my soul aches To know； when two authorities are up； Neither
supreme； how soon confusion May enter 'twixt the gap of both and take
The one by th' other。 COMINIUS。 Well； on to th' market…place。
CORIOLANUS。 Whoever gave that counsel to give forth The corn o' th'
storehouse gratis； as 'twas us'd Sometime in Greece… MENENIUS。 Well；
well； no more of that。 CORIOLANUS。 Though there the people had more
absolute pow'r… I say they nourish'd disobedience； fed The ruin of the state。
BRUTUS。 Why shall the people give One that speaks thus their voice？
CORIOLANUS。 I'll give my reasons； More worthier than their voices。
They know the corn Was not our recompense； resting well assur'd They
ne'er did service for't； being press'd to th' war Even when the navel of the
state was touch'd； They would not thread the gates。 This kind of service
Did not deserve corn gratis。 Being i' th' war； Their mutinies and revolts；
wherein they show'd Most valour； spoke not for them。 Th' accusation
Which they have often made against the Senate； All cause unborn； could
never be the motive Of our so frank donation。 Well； what then？ How shall
this bosom multiplied digest The Senate's courtesy？ Let deeds express
What's like to be their words： 'We did request it； We are the greater poll；
and in true fear They gave us our demands。' Thus we debase The nature of
our seats； and make the rabble Call our cares fears； which will in time
Break ope the locks o' th' Senate and bring in The crows to peck the eagles。
46
… Page 47…
CORIOLANUS
MENENIUS。 Come； enough。 BRUTUS。 Enough； with over measure。
CORIOLANUS。 No； take more。 What may be sworn by； both divine and
human； Seal what I end withal！ This double worship； Where one part does
disdain with cause； the other Insult without all reason； where gentry； title；
wisdom； Cannot conclude but by the yea and no Of general ignorance… it
must omit Real necessities； and give way the while To unstable slightness。
Purpose so barr'd； it follows Nothing is done to purpose。 Therefore；
beseech you… You that will be less fearful than discreet； That love the
fundamental part of state More than you doubt the change on't； that prefer
A noble life before a long； and wish To jump a body with a dangerous
physic That's sure of death without it… at once pluck out The multitudinous
tongue； let them not lick The sweet which is their poison。 Your dishonour
Mangles true judgment； and bereaves the state Of that integrity which
should become't； Not having the power to do the good it would； For th' ill
which doth control't。 BRUTUS。 Has said enough。 SICINIUS。 Has spoken
like a traitor and shall answer As traitors do。 CORIOLANUS。 Thou wretch；
despite o'erwhelm thee！ What should the people do with these bald
tribunes； On whom depending； their obedience fails To the greater bench？
In a rebellion； When what's not meet； but what must be； was law； Then
were they chosen； in a better hour Let what is meet be said it must be meet；
And throw their power i' th' dust。 BRUTUS。 Manifest treason！ SICINIUS。
This a consul？ No。 BRUTUS。 The aediles； ho！
Enter an AEDILE
Let him be apprehended。 SICINIUS。 Go call the people； ＇Exit
AEDILE＇ in whose name mys